The Inspiration Behind the Flavors

We spent years creating and tasting Starbucks® Natural Fusions. So when you’re drinking these naturally flavored coffees, remember a lot of love and care went into it to make each one a special treat!

The flavor inspiration behind Starbucks® Natural Fusions Vanilla was the vanilla pod itself: subtle, sweet, creamy, slight woody and floral. Think of what you smell when you use vanilla extract at home. This blend is a fusion of lightly roasted Latin American coffee (which lends slight floral notes), ground vanilla pods, Indian sarsaparilla (a root that provides a sweet, creamy taste) and natural flavor.

Starbucks® Natural Fusions Caramel was inspired by the caramel sauce we have in our stores: very rich, smooth, buttery and sweet, with a burnt sugar taste. This blend uses a dark-roasted Latin American coffee (which has a nice toastiness), complemented with licorice root (adding sweetness and creaminess), orange peel and natural flavor.

My favorite coffee, Starbucks® Natural Fusions Cinnamon, was inspired by a familiar coffeehouse flavor. Imagine having a great cup of coffee paired with a slice of coffee cake with a really indulgent cinnamon swirl in the middle of it. We tried to target that swirl’s flavor profile. This blend is a dark-roasted Latin American coffee blended with cinnamon that has more of a barky, woody flavor than a hot-cinnamon-candy flavor. We also add orange peel, ground nutmeg (sweet and nutty with hints of citrus and pepper), Indian sarsaparilla and natural flavor.

Before you sip a cup of Starbucks® Natural Fusions coffee, be sure to linger and take in the aroma – it’s a wonderful treat. A simple sniff gives you the story of what you’re about to taste and enjoy.